Construction of ultra high capacity performance battery cells

Abstract

A method of forming a battery electrode includes spraying a suspension of nanoparticle sized metal oxide to create an active layer.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of forming a battery electrode comprising:
 preparing a suspension of a nanoparticle sized metal oxide; 
 spraying the suspension onto a collector surface and drying the sprayed suspension to create a first active material layer, wherein the nanoparticle sized metal oxide is 20-40% by weight of the first active material layer after drying; and 
 providing a first carbon conductive layer containing carbon nanoparticles in the range of 20% to 40% by weight adjacent to the first active material layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing at least one carbon conductive layer further comprises spraying the carbon conductive layer onto the active material layer. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a second active material layer adjacent to the first carbon conductive layer. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of providing a second active material layer further comprises spraying the suspension onto the first carbon conductive layer to create the second active material layer. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle sized metal oxide is 20-25% by weight of the active material layer after drying. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the nanoparticle sized metal oxide is 21% by weight of the active material layer after drying. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising preparing the suspension of nanoparticle sized metal oxide such that the nanoparticles are monodispersed. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the metal oxide is acidified. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the metal oxide is not acidified. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide provides a lithiation capacity of at least 4000 mAhr/g. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising spraying the suspension to create the first active material layer with a thickness of less than 10 μm thick. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein spraying a suspension of metal oxide onto a surface and drying the sprayed suspension further comprises spraying the suspension of metal oxide with a droplet size of 1 nm to 100 μm. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising preparing the suspension to contain solids from 0.01-10 mg/cm 2 . 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising spraying the suspension to create the first active material layer with a porosity of at least 50%. 
     
     
       15. A method of forming a battery electrode comprising:
 forming a plurality of active material layers, each containing metal oxide nanoparticles from 20-40% by weight; 
 forming at least one carbon conductive layer between at least two of the plurality of active material layers to create an alternating arrangement; and 
 placing the alternating arrangement onto a collector; 
 wherein at least one of the plurality of active material layers is formed by spraying a suspension of metal oxide onto a surface and drying the sprayed suspension. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of active material layers is formed by spraying a suspension of metal oxide nanoparticles onto a surface and drying the sprayed suspension. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the plurality of active material layers is not formed by spraying. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising preparing the suspension of metal oxide nanoparticles to contain acidic metal oxide nanoparticles. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the acidic metal oxide nanoparticles have a pH of between 0 and 7 when resuspended in water at 5 wt. % after drying, and have a Hammett function, H 0 , that is greater than −12 at least on the surface of the nanoparticles. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the acidic metal oxide nanoparticles comprise tin oxide. 
     
     
       21. A method of forming a battery electrode comprising:
 providing a first carbon conductive layer containing carbon nanoparticles in the range of 20% to 40% by weight onto a collector; 
 preparing a suspension of a nanoparticle sized metal oxide; and 
 spraying the suspension onto the carbon conductive layer surface and drying the sprayed suspension to create a first active material layer, wherein the nanoparticle sized metal oxide is 20-40% by weight of the first active material layer after drying.